


What We Are

by plushies



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 16:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8167763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plushies/pseuds/plushies
Summary: Kyungsoo had to get out of there. This has got to be a mistake. There's no way he's rooming with a bunch of beagles.Warning(s): brief scene of harassment and violence





	

Kyungsoo stood in awe at the sight before him; large eyes taking in all the different creatures converging and moving about. This is the first time he saw so many hybrids at one place; feeling simultaneously reassured and intimidated at the same time. He tries not to stare at the pair of lizard hybrids casually lounging together under the tree, sunlight occasionally catching on their gleaming scales. It’s the first time he even saw one up close, for there has not been a lot of reptile hybrids in this country. A triplet of giggling bunnies in cheerleading uniform brushes past him, and he follows them with his eyes to see that they’re heading towards a group of great danes. Kyungsoo scrunches his face. _Dogs_. And they seem to be jocks too; if the basketball varsity jackets were anything to go by. Kyungsoo tries not to visibly bristle when one of them seems to be looking his way, and he quickly hauls his luggage towards the resident college. He wishes he’ll get to be as lucky as Sehun and Minseok for getting to be roommates with each other; plus the other two cat hybrids who were third year seniors.

Kyungsoo drags his luggage in the hallway; pointy ears occasionally twitching in various directions catching all kinds of sounds from in and outside the dorms. What annoys him the most is that drumming dubstep music that seems to get louder as he nears his designated room. And his suspicion is confirmed when the music is clearly throbbing through the door he’s currently standing in front of. Kyungsoo heaves a sigh. There goes his wish for a quiet dorm life. Kyungsoo nearly claws at the door when his knocks goes unheard, and is relieved to find it unlocked when he gave the knob a turn. Loud music came assaulting his ears at full blast; and he twitches when his nose immediately picks up that smell coming from all over the room. _No._

There in front of him, three very excited beagles are currently jamming to Pitbull. 

Kyungsoo has half a mind to back out.

 

 

Sehun’s face scrunches up when Kyungsoo is coming near their table. Jongin slowly perks up from his comfortable recline against Sehun’s frame, and Minseok pulls out the chair beside him for Kyungsoo to take.

“You smell like _dog_ ,” Sehun says accusingly, beige tail swatting restlessly behind.

Kyungsoo all but slumps heavily in his seat, elbow propped up on the table massaging his temple. “It’s my roommates.”

“Wait you roomed with a dog? I thought they group hybrids’ resident to their kind?” Pipes a confused Jongin.

“That’s what i thought too, but i went down to the resident’s office and apparently there were never such rule in the residency. They’re trying to, promote unity and shits.” Kyungsoo huffs with an air quote around ‘promote’ and ‘unity’. “Anyway, I tried and there’s no way they’re letting me change dorm.”

“That sucks. I’m sorry Kyungsoo, but you can always hang out in our room. Tell us if he started messing with you, my claw hasn’t seen action in a long time.” Minseok pats him on the shoulder, tail curling comfortingly around Kyungsoo’s back.

“Thanks hyung. So far they’re not exactly like those assholes back home but, _ugh_ I think I might just go crazy even surviving 2 days with them. Why are dogs so damn clingy? I’m starting to regret having my claws clipped.”

“Wait, _they_?” Sehun’s interjects.

Kyungsoo looks at him wearily, before sighing out; “They’re all beagles. All three of them.”

Right at that moment a loud exclamation of “Kyungsoo!!!” rings through the cafeteria. Jongin immediately shuffles to hide half his body behind a bristling Sehun; ears flattened to his hair. Minseok stays calm, although his hand maintaining a firm grip on a spooked Kyungsoo whose fluffed tail looks more ruffled than usual.

A weight drapes itself onto Kyungsoo’s back, while pairs of hands are waving enthusiastically in front of a perpetually harassed Sehun and a subtly cowering Jongin.

“You left so early this morning! We thought all of us could have had breakfast together.” Greets a smiling face with droopy eyes from Kyungsoo’s shoulder. The smaller boy not-so-discreetly tries to dislodge himself from said bubbly bundle. 

“Uh I was, busy.”

“Ooh fries! Can I have some? The cafe ran out just as I was queuing up.” 

“You can’t just ask someone’s fries like that, Chanyeol.” Said the smaller one behind the towering beagle, Kyungsoo would have thought he could pass off as a cat with those glinting feline-looking eyes if not for the obvious beagle appendages. (And the _smell_ , of course.)

“What, I asked very nicely!” Say the towering beagle with a booming voice. Jongin timidly pushes the box of said fries towards Chanyeol’s direction and immediately looks down when greeted with a grinning face of said beagle. Sehun scowls. “You can have all of it,” He adds with disdain. The effect, however is lost on Chanyeol as he happily snatches the box with a perky “Thanks!”

“What a cute kitty gang you guys are! I’m Baekhyun, and this is Jongdae. Don’t be fooled by those ears by the way, he’s actually a dinosaur hybrid.” Baekhyun adds with a snicker just as Jongdae whines “Hey!” from the side. “And that slobber over there is Chanyeol.” 

The tall hybrid didn’t even bother to react indignantly, only flashing a peace sign to the rest of table while stuffing his face with his newly-acquired fries. “Who asked,” Sehun coughs under his breath before Minseok immediately cutting with a reply,

“I’m Minseok, and this is Sehun and Jongin. We’re all friends of Kyungsoo since childhood.” The elder cat finishes with a civil smile. Kyungsoo is dying to slip out of there with how uncomfortable he is, and might just get away with doing so if not for Baekhyun effectively blocking his way by gluing himself to Kyungsoo's side.

“What breed are you, Jongin? You look a bit different.” Asks Jongdae. Jongin droops at the question, eyes looking down before replying “I’m a..I’m a puppycat.”

“Why does that matter? He’s just as cat as the rest of us it doesn’t make any difference.” Sehun bristles. Jongin droops even more from beside him before a marveled Chanyeol suddenly interjects; “That’s so cool! I‘ve never met a puppycat before!” Jongin visibly brightens up a little at that before Sehun suddenly getting up and dragging him along with him.

“Great, we’re leaving. You guys coming?” He pointedly asks Minseok and Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo wishes he can leave with them, but he has classes coming up in 10 minutes.

“ I can’t, I have class.”

“Right, we have Hybrid History 1 together right? Let’s go together!” An ecstatic Jongdae pipes up, Kyungsoo barely hold the urge to groan outwardly there and then.

 

 

Kyungsoo tries not to trip onto his own feet as he quickens his pace away from the two figures currently stuck to his sides. It’s all in futile, really as dogs seem to have this magical ability to relentlessly orbit around things they’re fixated onto. Chanyeol is even _circling_ animatedly around him playing toss with a cackling Baekhyun and Jongdae. Never have Kyungsoo thought that he’ll ever get this close with dog hybrids; lest when they’re not trying to antagonize him or send a sneer his way. Some dogs in the city are different he guess, but never would he ever be able to let down his guard completely around one. It’s just impossible given what he and his friends had experienced back at home.

Kyungsoo’s family lived around the mountains, and that’s where he bonded with Minseok; the son of the grocer. Sehun came to live with his grandmother when Kyungsoo was 5, and it took a spilled ice cream and human bullies chased away by Minseok’s father to get the little kitten to open up and stick with them. There wasn’t much hybrids settlement in the mountains, human mostly ignored their existence and there was a lot more dogs around. Wild dog hybrids, to be precise. Some of them have taken up the deeper side of the mountain and basically scares away any trespasser that even have a slight incline of going in there. Kyungsoo hated the dogs. All of them do. It’s hard enough to deal with humans sidelining them in schools and in public; it’s another when dogs treated them as if cat hybrids are much more useless than other hybrids. Kyungsoo sneers whenever he see dog hybrids sucking up to humans, as if they feed on their approval in order to live. Surviving school was worse; there weren’t a lot of hybrids to begin with and they had to mix between human children. There were more dog hybrids than cat; and they were more generally favored by the humans. Kyungsoo hated the dogs’ pacifying nature because it feeds into the human’s illusion that hybrid and mankind are not equal. Needless to say Kyungsoo used to get into a lot of trouble for refusing to comply with certain double standards imposed by his school.

Jongin moved into the neighborhood when they were in elementary school, and his case was much more heartbreaking as not only he had to move cities with his adoptive sister who just married a human, he was also abused due to his unique puppycat hybridity. He was bullied for his differences by both hybrids and the human for his ‘gross’ crossbreed. The prejudice between dog and cat hybrids aren’t greatly improved in jongin’s childhood, exiling his need to belong and be accepted. Sehun immediately adopted jongin the first day he came into their school, costing him a stern reprimand by the principal for clawing a dog hybrid and a human boy during recess because they were harassing the poor puppycat. Jongin since then stuck by Sehun’s side and constantly finding refuge in their little group. 

“Kyungsoo, catch!” An empty bottle was suddenly thrown in Kyungsoo’s direction causing him to nearly propel out of place in reflex. A cackling Baekhyun snaps his attention before Kyungsoo shove the bottle none-too kindly into the hybrid’s chest.

“I don’t have time to play _fetch_ ,” Kyungsoo glares before quickly slipping into his seat far to the left. To his horror the beagles also scrambles to sit themselves by his sides, a whining Chanyeol pawing at Baekhyun to get out of his seat.

“Not fair, you get to walk by him the whole time to class already!”

“Then you should be faster,” Answers Baekhyun, sticking his tongue out at the pouting tall hybrid while Jongdae chuckles from his other side. Grumbling, Chanyeol takes a seat right behind Kyungsoo while the cat tries not to blush in embarrassment at the weird display of possessiveness. Not that it helps any with the way Chanyeol leaning so close to his back Kyungsoo can practically feel his breath. It feels so weird being the center of attention like this, especially coming from dogs. Are all dogs like this? Well they are but never have Kyungsoo thought that any of them would act like this around a cat hybrid. Or maybe his roommates are just weird like that. His mind wanders again to their first meeting in the dorm yesterday.

“Oh!” Honest to god Kyungsoo nearly drop his luggage and bolt out of there when three pairs of eyes fixed onto him. He can feel his fur bristling; he just can’t help it when three dog hybrids are circling him like this. The last time it happened it didn’t end well.

“Are you our new roommate? Nice!” Says a grinning Baekhyun in Kyungsoo’s face. 

“Your tail is sooo fluffy oh my god. What breed are you? Where are you from? What’s your name?” A shiver ran through Kyungsoo’s body at the deep voice coming from Chanyeol, and he hated that the voice plus his size made him feel intimidated though he swore he wouldn’t ever let a dog hybrid walk over him again. Self-conscious, he tucked his tail around his hip.

“I’m Jongdae, and this is Baekhyun. That’s Chanyeol. We are all the same age and we came from the same high school. Where are you from?” A perky voice filled the lull when Kyungsoo didn’t respond to Chanyeol’s earlier interrogation. Belatedly, Kyungsoo realizes that his luggage has been hauled by his bunk. He didn’t notice how that happened.

“Uh, I’m Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo replied timidly, also adding where he came from. His voice was a little too low to be heard over the pounding music, but Jongdae nodded satisfyingly anyway. Kyungsoo heaved a relieved sigh when Baekhyun turned off the music afterwards, although not without leaving residual throbbing in his head.

“You’re a ragdoll aren’t you? I recognize that fur pattern. But i think you’re also mixed. What was the other one? Munchkin?” Kyungsoo almost let out an insulted hiss at that. He knows he wasn’t the biggest guy in the room but his limbs are still appropriately proportionate, okay.

“ _No_ , my dad is a scottish fold. Mom’s a ragdoll.” Glared Kyungsoo. He already felt a little suffocated with all the attention and the proximity. These dogs just have no sense of boundary. Kyungsoo had to get out of there. This has got to be a mistake. There’s _no way_ he’s rooming with a bunch of beagles.

Needless to say, Kyungsoo’s trip to the resident’s office had been fruitless. Kyungsoo didn’t know if he should feel insulted when he came back to find his bunk posts are now wrapped in straws. 

“Your scratching post!” A wildly grinning Chanyeol had said. His face fell when Kyungsoo told him that he had his nails clipped, before brightening up again saying that they’ll get sharp in no time with his ‘special brand of straws’. Whatever that means. Kyungsoo have no problem sharpening his claws again especially with these dogs around. After sternly warning the beagles to not come close to his bunk area Kyungsoo is set to doing his best to ignore their existence. Though that proved to be a major test with the way the beagles constantly pestering him for food, games and more invasive questioning. Kyungsoo went to bed more restless that he had been during the day.

The class suddenly goes quiet when a figure walks in at the front. A male sheep hybrid. It’s the first time Kyungsoo ever sees one and he marvels at the way the man commandeers the attention of the class. His horns are stunning; thick and curling at the sides of his head. His hair is dark blond; and he appears to be younger than Kyungsoo expected. Probably in his late 20s or early thirties. Despite his appendages the man’s face is kind and handsome; holding a sort of serene calmness that calls people to listen to his words intently. 

“Hello class, I am professor Zhang Yixing. You may call me Professor Zhang.” He’s soft-spoken too it appears; and Kyungsoo likes the soothing way he’s smiling.

“Professor Zhang your horns are amazing!” Kyungsoo nearly jump out of his fur when Chanyeol suddenly hollers from behind. The class was swept with a wave of snickers in response. 

Professor Zhang chuckles kindly. “Thank you. Unfortunately I’m not sure if the same sentiment is shared by some people in my neighborhood, if the blood sacrifice on my front porch was any indication.” The class laughs to that, some perks up in curiosity at the kind of ridiculous struggles Professor Zhang must be facing from some stupid humans. Kyungsoo already liking this class.

Professor Zhang started the class with a brief introduction of the subject’s syllabus. Kyungsoo sit up straighter when he pulls up an online slide of the hybrid origin; some of the accompanying pictures catching his attention. Kyungsoo listens intently to Professor Zhang’s lecture; enraptured by the details he’s elaborating.

The hybrids species were believed to have evolved around same time Homo sapiens started to take shape from its theoretical ape origin. Some claimed that hybrids were failed products of evolution; doomed to halt in between their feral characteristics and human conscience. The ape hybrids were the first hybrid species to exist and were considered the most superior as they are the closest to human in similarity; and they are also considered the most intelligent of all hybrid species. The next hybrids to follow were the cat and dog hybrids; as proofs of their existence has been found recorded as far as in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics carving. Other hybrids like bunny, mice, etc. only started to appear during what was dubbed as the second wave of hybrid evolution in 500 b.c. There are also talks of underwater hybrids; most popularly discussed: the mermaids but they are said to be a myth or long extinct. Proofs of their existence are still widely debated.

Professor Zhang promised that in the next lesson he will delve deeper into the the topic of hybrid origin. Kyungsoo made a note to research more on the dates of the early evolution. The topic that comes next grounds Kyungsoo to his seat. The hybrid war. Frankly this is the topic that Kyungsoo is most interested in, and it was also a sore subject to many veteran hybrids who had suffered the consequences of said war. For centuries, hybrids worked as slaves to human; providing aids in manpower and other unspeakable exploits. The war started during the height of the ottoman empire when the ape hybrids staged an uprising that’s been building up from hundreds of years prior.

The two main proponents of the war was the human and the ape hybrids; sacrificing millions of lives in the process; humans and hybrids alike. Dog hybrids are used as soldiers or work slaves due to their unbending loyalty and order, while cat hybrids suffer a more sinister fate as sex slaves and pawn of trades. Kyungsoo sours at the mention of the suffering of the cat hybrids during the war. It has become a gross association to the cat hybrids even to this day and Kyungsoo detest the stereotypes very much.

“Cats had it easy, honestly.” Said a voice from the other side of the class. Kyungsoo whips his head so fast at the offending voice he’s surprise he didn’t bolt out of his seat to claw that fucker’s fur off. A siberian husky. _Of course,_ Kyungsoo thought bitterly.

“And why would you think that?” Professor Zhang asks placatingly. If he was bothered by the interruption he didn’t show it in his face.

“Really,” Adds the husky. Kyungsoo is starting to hate his annoying tone. “Dog soldiers literally spill blood on the battlefield and some was harnessed in force to face the enemy’s bullet face front. All cat hybrids had to do was blink, comply and they’ll at least get a bed to sleep in. All dog soldiers had was a ground and raw meat at best to feast on, if they’re lucky.”

Kyungsoo is seething at this point. Ignorant self-centered pricks like this are what pisses him the most. He’s about to open his mouth and give this stupid wag face a piece of his mind when Baekhyun suddenly speaks up; “That’s not entirely true.”

The whole class now shifted their attention in Kyungsoo’s direction. Well, Baekhyun’s direction since he is sitting right beside him. Kyungsoo is thrown out of the loop. Professor Zhang gives a small nod for Baekhyun to continue, seemingly pleaser than before.

“It is true that hybrids suffered a lot in the war. And this goes for _all_ hybrids involved; not just dog. Comparing who suffered the worse and using it to dismiss other’s struggles is not a behavior that we should adopt, especially not coming from a hybrid who’s supposed to empathize with the cause of the war. For your information, cat hybrids suffered greatly alongside others during the duration of the war. Their death toll was 30% higher than the rest of the hybrids; and we all know _a lot_ of lives were lost in the war. Cat hybrids were treated worse; because they weren’t even seen as a functional creature, they were regarded as objects. Cats were freely used, breed, and disposed by both humans AND hybrids. This is a sore fact that we all should acknowledge and we should stop pretending as if humans were the only one hurting them; hurting _us_.”

Kyungsoo swallowed a lump he didn’t know he had in his throat. His stare is fixated on Baekhyun; whose firm composure is a stark contrast to his earlier playful demeanor. Kyungsoo feels a hand lacing through his fingers; belatedly realizing that his claws were clutching hard into the table; and that his hands were trembling. Jongdae’s reassuring smile greets him, and Kyungsoo finds himself slowly unclenching. 

Baekhyun’s statement seems to spark more opinions from the class; as more and more hands raised to voice out their thoughts in line with Baekhyun’s sentiment. The husky from earlier looks appropriately chastised, thought Kyungsoo couldn’t care less about him now. Professor Zhang seems pleased by the turn of event, encouraging his students’ participation with gentle goading. 

Baekhyun turns to Kyungsoo with a grin, “Professor Zhang is hot.” Kyungsoo chuckles despite himself, smiling wider than he intended to be. “Focus, Baek.” Kyungsoo says, softly brushing Baekhyun on the cheek. From the way his eyes glint, the dog hybrid is decidedly very pleased at the reaction.

 

 

Okay maybe dogs aren’t _that_ bad. At least not his dogs. Kyungsoo nearly trips on nothing when he caught the word _his_. How did that happened? _The dogs are messing with your head, Kyungsoo._

“Fuck! asdfs-” This time Kyungsoo trips for real. Sprawled on the floor, Kyungsoo whines when his back slowly register the pain from the impact. He also fell on his rear painfully, nearly crying at the sting. Fuck, he hope he didn’t broke his tail. He curses when he saw what he tripped on. Fuck Chanyeol and his dumbbells oh my god Kyungsoo swears he’s going to drop those stupid dumbbells on the stupid dog’s head next time he see him. Which, speak of the devil..

“Kyungsoo! Are you alright?” Chanyeol’s voice reverberates from the door. He appears to be just finishing his shower, eyes wide at the sight of a groaning Kyungsoo curling fetally on the floor. 

Kyungsoo would smack his face if he wasn’t so busy nursing his tail. Kyungsoo thinks he scratched the base, because he feels a distinct sting coming from that area. Shit, he didn’t really broke his tail now did he?

“Park Chanyeol I swear to God if my tail broke I’m gonna make you swallow those goddamn dumbbells one by one.” Kyungsoo would pat himself on the back for managing to let out a sound threat despite the pain he’s in right now. Chanyeol winces.

“I am so, so sorry. Lemme get a first aid kit,” We have a first aid kit? Is Kyungsoo’s immediate thought. 

As if hearing Kyungsoo, Chanyeol adds; “I’m in the basketball team. I hurt myself sometimes.” Kyungsoo finds two seconds to wonder at the thought that this fumbling idiot actually plays real sport. Well of course, now that Kyungsoo thought of it, that a dog hybrid would be involved in a sport that requires them to bound over a ball.

Kyungsoo yelps when Chanyeol lifts him into his arms, and he was about to trash when he realizes the tall hybrid is gently settling him down on his bed, face first.

“You got a minor splinter on your tail, I’m gonna clean it and put some ointment on.” He says. 

The idea of Chanyeol, a dog hybrid, getting up close and personal to the base of his tail is something Kyungsoo not really fond of at the moment. “No thanks, I can manage.”

“No you can’t. You’re gonna sprain your neck if you twist like that. Let me help you.” Honestly Kyungsoo didn’t have much of a choice. His back is still smarting from the fall and he can literally feel the wound piercing through his tail. Kyungsoo sighs.

“Be _very_ careful. I’m gonna kill you if you do something funny.” Chanyeol smiles in response. Kyungsoo is starting to dislike the fact that his threats are flying right over the hybrid’s head.

To Kyungsoo’s surprise, the taller one is indeed very gentle in his nursing of the wound. He softly hold Kyungsoo’s tail in between his fingertips before dabbing the wound clean. Strangely, Kyungsoo felt tingles coming from the fingers more than the wound itself. 

“Your fur is really, really pretty.” The tall hybrid suddenly adds. Kyungsoo didn’t know how to react, so he didn’t. It feels disconcerting to have a dog hybrid’s face so close to your ass, let alone one with a voice so deep it runs up your spine. Kyungsoo buries his face deeper in his pillow.

“Like seriously, you’re the prettiest cat I’ve ever set my eyes on. It’s unreal seeing you from up close,” Chanyeol continues, seemingly undeterred by Kyungsoo’s silence. 

Kyungsoo is positive that he is _never_ going to resurface from this pillow ever. He pretends that his face is hot from the lack of air, not from blushing. Please, Kyungsoo thinks even Sehun is prettier than he is, and Minseok too. Heck, even Jongin is much more attractive Kyungsoo literally doesn’t see his appeal at all compared to his friends. Chanyeol is talking crazy. 

He smacks Chanyeol blindly on the head with his tail. “Stop talking nonsense.” 

Kyungsoo hears the tall hybrid’s breath softly rumbles with amusement. His hands is now carefully applying bandage to the wound. 

“Baek and Dae agrees with me.” Kyungsoo goes still. He honestly doesn’t know what to make of that. It’s weird to be the receiving end of praises from a dog when normally it’s the other way around. 

Thankfully, (or not,) Baekhyun and Jongdae chooses that exact time to loudly announce themselves home. 

“Oh nooo, Kyungsoo what happens to you?” Jongdae blindly drops his backpack and immediately bounds over to Kyungsoo followed by Baekhyun. There has got to be a rule about throwing your stuffs around in this room, Kyungsoo thinks dryly.

“I tripped on Chanyeol’s stupid dumbbell and now my tail is broken,” He deadpans. But that prove to be a mistake when it only redirect the beagles attention onto his ass. Great. Kyungsoo hisses when he feel too many hands patting his butt. 

“We brought back some tuna puffs, you like them right?” Baekhyun waves the plastic bag in Kyungsoo’s sight, and the cat finds it hard to continue sulking. He feels a hand carding through his hair, scratching lightly at the base of his ear. Kyungsoo would protest at the touch, but currently he’s busy trying his damnest not to purr outwardly. Jongdae is sinfully good at petting Kyungsoo could just cry. 

“We’re sorry that you got hurt, after Baek and I finish showering let’s eat the puffs together, alright?” The slight hybrid adds. Kyungsoo only responds in an unintelligible grunt.

Sehun would judge the hell out of him for giving in like this, but Kyungsoo can barely find it in himself to care at the moment.

 

 

“Looks like someone’s getting cosier with the dogs.”

Kyungsoo looks up at a side-eyeing Sehun who’s currently sipping on a bubble tea next to him. He stops mid-typing a passive-aggressive message to Chanyeol to _stop uploading my sleeping pictures on instagram, goddamnit_ in their roommate group chat (courtesy of Jongdae who robbed Kyungsoo’s phone away long enough to acquire his number and created a katalk group with the beagles not 2 minutes after).

“What?”

Sehun pointedly glares at the smaller’s phone, or precisely at the background photo of the group chat. It was a selca of a highly unenthusiastic Kyungsoo being dogpiled by the beagles; a wildly grinning Chanyeol whose cheek pressed too close for comfort near the cat’s face, a teething baekhyun right on top of Kyungsoo’s head, and an ecstatic Jongdae who’s happily headbutting his chin. Kyungsoo had given up pawing them off his bunk that day.

He coughs. “Baekhyun did that. I was too tired to stop them.” He resumes sending knife emojis to the chat group for good measure.

“Suure. You do realize you have been smelling like them an awful lot these days, do you? These dogs scented you like you had a leash around them or something, is that why you were so fixated on them these days? Have you become a waggy-licker now?” Sehun throws; words too sharp for Kyungsoo to pretend it was just another offhanded sarcasm. But still, he didn’t have a reply to that. Or rather, he didn’t know how to reply to that. Kyungsoo’s face fell and he stares at his phone screen in silent. To his surprise, Jongin speaks up.

“Sehun, that’s not nice.” Sehun’s eyes widen, obviously not expecting that coming up from the puppycat.

“What? Only a month ago he couldn’t even stand the smell of a dog from 2 mile away now he’s _cuddling_ them? That’s just ridiculous.” Sehun spits, ruffled by the unexpected rebuke from the normally timid hybrid. 

“Then why do _you_ cuddle me? I’m a dog too, Sehun.” The lean cat was stunned silent by Jongin’s reply. Kyungsoo notices the puppycat was subtly shaking, but his gaze firm onto the taller cat’s face.

“Wha-- but you’re-”

“I’m not just a cat Sehun. And I’m tired of pretending the other part of me didn’t exist. I know I went through a lot simply for being what I am but sometimes, it hurts the most when my own bestfriend is erasing half of my identity. I want..I want you love all of me.” Jongin’s voice cracks as he finish the words. A stunned silence washes over the three friends before Jongin suddenly stood up from the cafeteria table they’re sitting at and turns to leave.

There’s a momentary halt before Sehun jumps out of his seat to chase his best friend, and Kyungsoo slumps in his seat. They’re all going to have to talk about this later, but first he’s going to leave it to Sehun to fix his mess.

A message pings through Kyungsoo’s phone. He opens it to find Jongdae whining that the last of his meatball sub was gobbled up by Baekhyun accompanied by a selca of him dramatically pouting at the screen. Kyungsoo smiles. He contemplates for a few moments before deciding to make a stop at Jongdae’s favorite subway shop; it should still be opened for another half an-hour if Kyungsoo make it fast. 

He packs up his bag and leave.

 

 

Kyungsoo threads the gritty sidewalk as fast as he can. This is the part of the town that he hated the most; with the street lamps mostly non-functioning and too many dark alleys to watch out for especially at this time of the night. The shop took longer than he expected; but he’s willing to wait it out since the manager was kind enough to whip the last of the sandwiches hot and fresh for Kyungsoo as a service for the last customer of the night.

“Not too fast, _kitty_.” Kyungsoo’s steps were abruptly halted by two huge figures suddenly emerging from the dark alley to his left. His heart drops. This can’t be good. 

Kyungsoo backs away before trying to sidestep the humans. He resolutely avoids eye-contact before his arm was yanked harshly. He let out a hiss, clutching onto the painful grip.

“Whoa kitty is fierce. Why such hurry, sweetie? Come and have a little chat with us.” The man breathes a stink drunken air into Kyungsoo’s face. The hybrid grimaces as the man’s companion is laughing.

“Boy aren’t you a pretty one,” Kyungsoo’s eyes widen when he feels a rough hand yanking on his tail. His sandwich bag fell on the ground, and he started thrashing for real before realizing a minute too late that he was cornered from front and back. He screams when his tail was gripped painfully; and a hand latches onto his neck. These fuckers is literally treating him like actual animal, thinking he’ll go limp if they had control of his bare neck. A surge of anger runs through Kyungsoo and he delivers a very hard kick onto the man’s right leg in front of him. 

“This bitch..!” The man growls as Kyungsoo scrambles from impact on the sidewalk, but he didn’t get far as his tail was roughly yanked back, and grunting when his back collides painfully on the cement. A weight drops heavily on top of him, and both his hands are pinned to the ground by the other guy hovering over his head. Kyungsoo was about to scream his lungs out when a resounding slap lashes across his face. Kyungsoo splutters to his side.

“Fucking cats! You should just stay still on your hands and knees like you’re meant to be. You’re all whores, disgusting whores!” The man spits as he slams Kyungsoo’s head on the ground with a grip on his hair and ear. Tears running down the cat’s face, insane thoughts like biting his own tongue and bleed to death started to run through Kyungsoo’s mind. He’s honestly willing to die than live through his body getting violated like this.

“Kyungsoo!!!”

A booming voice cuts through the men’s attention, his grip went slack before a heavy _crack_ resounded from on top of Kyungsoo. Curses splatter through the mouth of the man pinning Kyungsoo’s hands before a flash jumps onto him; the cat’s eyes was too blurry to see the scuffling properly through the tears in his eyes.

“Kyungsoo, are you alright??” Kyungsoo nearly sobs when Jongdae’s worried face appears in his sight, he immediately grips onto the hybrid’s body as he was hauled to his feet right into Jongdae’s arms.

“It’s okay shh we’re here, we’re all here now” His hands patting the cat’s shaking body, holding his weight in his tight embrace. 

A scream breaks through their moment, they turn to see the man who was on top of Kyungsoo earlier struggle against blows upon blows from a manic Chanyeol. His companion is groaning on the ground after receiving high kick from Baekhyun.

“You fucking--crazy dogs!! Aghhh” The man yells when Chanyeol caught his forearm in his teeth and started thrashing his head. He can barely move after earlier blows, head bleeding.

“Chanyeol stop!” Jongdae’s yell seems to fly right over the hybrid’s head. He was too far gone; consumed in rage. Kyungsoo breaks away from Jongdae’s hold to throw himself on Chanyeol’s back.

Hugging his waist, Kyungsoo winds his arm around the hybrid’s head, and nearly got thrown away by the taller’s reflex if he wasn’t fast enough to whisper in Chanyeol’s ear;

“ _Chanyeol, stop_.” 

The hybrid immediately stops, dropping the groaning man on the ground. He seems to have snapped out of his manic rage, and slowly turns to pull Kyungsoo in his shaking arms.

“Monsters! All of you are fucking monsters! Animals!!” A scream breaks through from the man on the ground near Baekhyun. He’s frantically dragging his battered body away while yelling expletives at the hybrids.

Baekhyun delivers another swift kick; effectively shutting him up.

“Speak for yourself.” He spits.

 

 

The dorm is grim as the four hybrids huddled in the middle, tending to each other’s wound. Baekhyun didn’t get anything worse other than few scratches on his forearms and a bruised knuckle. “Thank god I didn’t drop that hapkido class in high school,” He had tried to joke. He nuzzled against Kyungsoo’s cheek in comfort when the cat is still flushed with worry when he holds Baekhyun’s bruised left hand.

Jongdae is silently nursing Kyungsoo’s tail; checking for fracture and wounds from the scuffling. His heart constricts when he saw some of Kyungsoo’s beautiful fur was ripped off. Thankfully there was no fracture, but he wrapped it anyway after applying ointment on the cleaned wounds.

Chanyeol is uncharacteristically quiet; barely moving from his hunched form over Kyungsoo’s lap, inspecting the cat’s scratched hand for the past 10 minutes.

“Chanyeol?” The cat softly calls. His heart tightens when the hybrid looks up. Chanyeol’s eyes are wet.

“Am I..Am I a monster?” His voice breaks. Kyungsoo immediately pulls him close.

“No, of course you’re not. Why would you say that?”

“Feral. I went feral on the humans. They were _hurting_ you and i can’t stop myself, I--” Kyungsoo catches Chanyeol’s fumbling hands and rest their foreheads together, holding his eyes.

“No, Chanyeol. That’s not feral. You are not feral, you’re _angry_. Those humans are much more of a monster for acting the way they did, and I am so, so glad that you got there. You saved my life. You, Jongdae, and Baekhyun.” Immediately, Kyungsoo feels an arm winding across his back. Jongdae leans on his shoulder. Another weight drapes itself from Chanyeol’s side.

“Honestly, I would’ve gone crazy too if you didn’t. There was no excuse for what the humans did. They didn’t leave us much choice.” Whispers Baekhyun, hand softly rubbing the taller’s back. For a quiet moment, they all stayed huddling just like this.

“Okay but look at the bright side, I managed to salvage the meatball subs!” Jongdae suddenly breaks; lifting the bag and waving it above them. Laughter breaks through the bunch.

“Oh my god Jongdae I can’t believe you,”

“What? They’re still nicely wrapped and warm I can’t let it be on the ground just like that! What? No, Baek, they’re mine--!” Kyungsoo laughs as he and Chanyeol watches Baekhyun and Jongdae playfully pawing each other off. He rests his face against Chanyeol’s chest, feeling the rumble of the other’s laughter. He feels a hand wrapping around his waist, and a face nuzzling the top of his head.

His ears droop; and he purrs.

 

 

**Epilogue**

“Kyungsoo-yaa,”

“Kyungsoo-yaaaaah”

Kyungsoo’s ear twitches toward the source of the sound but otherwise made no indication of acknowledging the holler.

“Please answer him, it’s getting annoying.” Sehun pleads from the couch across. Baekhyun snickers from his rest on Kyungsoo’s lap, enjoying absentminded petting from the cat. Jongdae is leaning against Baekhyun’s body, reading a book. They were all currently lounging in the study room, abandoning actual studying in favor of lazing around on the couch and the bean bags. 

Kyungsoo continues scrolling his tab. Soon enough, a tall weight drops against his side, half draping itself in Kyungsoo lap ignoring a yelping Baekhyun in the process. Minseok smiles at the antic from his recline beside Sehun.

“Kyungsoo-yaah. Kris accidentally scratched my ear with the ball today during practice. It hurts,” A pouting Chanyeol softly butting Kyungsoo’s chin with his head. 

“What a baby,” Jongdae snorts from his place, eyes still fixated on his book. Kyungsoo silently pushes Chanyeol to rest against his chest, the taller hybrid sprawls the rest of himself across the carpet. Softly, Kyungsoo nips and brushes the fur of the dog's ear using the bristle of his tongue, working down to the base. Chanyeol hums pleased, eyes shutting. Baekhyun whines when Kyungsoo’s hand momentarily stop moving but is soon pacified when it resumes its ministration. Sehun makes a face.

“Gross. Keep that pda in your room.” 

Just at that moment a weight drapes itself across Sehun’s back; curling around his body.

“Hunnie, I got a free frisbee from the club room. Let’s go play fetch?” Jongin says into his neck. Sehun’s eyes flutter close as he nuzzles against the puppycat’s hair.

“But it’s hot outside,” Says Sehun softly.

“We’ll just play indoor. Please?” Those feline clinginess and the puppy eyes are the death of Sehun. He can _never_ say no now and Jongin gleefully uses them against him.

“Okay!” And just like that Jongin bounces up happily tugging Sehun’s hand up, tail’s wagging excitedly.

“Gross, you say?” Kyungsoo pipes in from the top of Chanyeol’s hair.

“Shut up.” The lean cat blushes, ignoring a snickering Minseok, Jongdae and Baekhyun before bounding after Jongin.

“Hm?” An oblivious Chanyeol cracks an eye open; and closes them back when Kyungsoo resumes his grooming, lulled by the deep purr in the cat's chest.

“Nothing.”

 

End.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for takostation [here](http://takostation.livejournal.com/9252.html)
> 
> Reposted from my [LJ](http://prettyminstrel.livejournal.com/6405.html)
> 
> I'm planning for a sequel that's more chansoo-centered and lengthier background on the beagle line but if there's lack of feedback on this one i don't think i'll be motivated to work on that lol. comment/kudos if u like!!


End file.
